Big Brother International: Formats, Critics and Publics

Front Cover
Ernest Mathijs, Janet Jones
Wallflower Press, 2004 - Performing Arts - 261 pages
Since its inception, "Big Brother" has been versioned in over thirty countries and reached an estimated audience of over two billion. The first of its kind, this book includes essays from international contributors that integrate the academic disciplines of cinema studies, sociology, cultural and critical studies. Additionally, it considers the reception and impact of the series, and how different regions adopt the format to suit local cultural concerns and achieve commercial success. The book functions not only as a discussion of one single television program but also as a reflection on the medium's history and future, and its impact on popular culture. It is useful for students, scholars, people involved in the planning and production of television formats, and everyone interested in the function of contemporary television in society.
 

Contents

Reappraising the Role
9
Watching Big Brother
25
Gendered Readings of Big Brother
40
Notions of The Audience in the Reception
62
Framing Popular Media Culture
77
Frames of Interpretation
93
An Analysis of the Reception of Big Brother
123
Intertextuality Fandom and Big Brother Turkey
140
A Popular Form of Cultural Expression
168
A Production Study of Big Brother
181
Webcasting Audience Intervention
194
Big Brother UK and Interactive
210
Big Brother and the Theatre of Spontaneity
232
Notes on Big Brother
250
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